Vatican sends top diplomat to Moscow in new bid for Ukraine dialogue

The Vatican is making a renewed effort to foster dialogue on the Ukraine conflict, with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States, embarking on a visit to Moscow. Gallagher, often referred to as the Pope's "foreign minister," is scheduled to be in Russia until August 28.

Sources indicate that Gallagher's itinerary includes a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This visit marks a significant diplomatic move by Pope Leo XIV, following Gallagher's recent trip to Ukraine. It represents one of the first high-level diplomatic engagements initiated by the pontiff directly with the Kremlin since the full-scale invasion began.

The Vatican has not released an official schedule for the trip, but Russian sources suggest Gallagher will also meet with other authorities, representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate, and members of the Russian Catholic community. Gallagher's last visit to Russia was in November 2021, months before the invasion.

This mission aligns with Pope Leo XIV's strategy, inherited from Pope Francis, to preserve communication channels with Moscow even as peace negotiations remain stalled. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, emphasized the importance of Gallagher's mission, highlighting the Holy See's focus on humanitarian aspects, including the return of children to Ukraine, prisoner exchanges, and aid for war-affected populations. Zuppi himself has undertaken diplomatic missions to Moscow and Kyiv.

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The mission of Monsignor Gallagher is very important, we accompany it with much prayer.